By Steve Barrett
Adelaide 7.7 (49) d Fremantle 1.6 (12)
Adelaide have advanced to their fifth successive AFLW preliminary final after thrashing Fremantle by 37 points in the first semi-final.
A commanding 4.2 to 0.1 third quarter, while kicking into a stifling northerly, paved the way for the Crows to cruise past the Dockers 7.7 (49) to 1.6 (12) in sweltering 37-degree conditions at Norwood Oval on Saturday.
The Crows belt out their song after a commanding win over the visiting Dockers.Credit: AFL Photos
Adelaide will take on the Brisbane Lions next weekend for a place in the grand final.
Ebony Marinoff had 32 disposals, 11 tackles, eight clearances and a major for the Crows, who had seven individual, single goalscorers, while Anne Hatchard and Madison Newman amassed 24 touches apiece.
Gabrielle Newton was lion-hearted with 19 possessions and 12 tackles for Fremantle, who were thoroughly outclassed from quarter-time onwards.
The Dockers’ backline, led by Emma O’Driscoll and Laura Pugh, held up well early, after the visitors won the toss and surprisingly opted to kick against the breeze to the Parade end.
Chelsea Randall’s desperate goal-line toe-poke 45 seconds out from the quarter-time siren gave Adelaide the first six-pointer of the game, and the lead, before the hosts completely blew the contest apart in the second term.
Dockers acting captain Hayley Miller spent most of the second quarter on the bench after hurting her right knee as the match started getting right away from the visitors – the Crows racking up the first 10 inside-50s.
Taylah Levy, Hannah Munyard, Rachelle Martin and Abbie Ballard were the recipients of Marinoff’s midfield leather poisoning and Jess Allan’s ability to compete with superstar Mim Strom in the ruck.
Fremantle’s sole score of the term came when Ebony Antonio’s free kick thudded into the post with two seconds remaining.
Philipa Seth finally ended the Dockers’ drought with a goal in the seventh minute of the third stanza – their only major of the afternoon – but the Crows continued to hold a firm upper hand to hold sway by an insurmountable 36 points at three-quarter time.
